Pubdate: Tue, 17 Feb 2015
Source: Alaska Dispatch News (AK)
Copyright: 2015 Associated Press
Contact:  http://www.adn.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/18
Note: Anchorage Daily News until July '14
Author: Becky Bohrer, Associated Press

ALASKA ALCOHOL BOARD TO MEET ON POSSIBLE EMERGENCY POT REGULATION

JUNEAU (AP) - The Alcoholic Beverage Control Board plans to meet next 
week to decide whether to consider an emergency regulation defining 
what constitutes a public place for purposes of the new marijuana law.

The board plans to meet Feb. 24, the day the voter-backed initiative 
to legalize recreational use of pot takes effect.

The initiative bans public consumption but does not define "public." 
The board's executive director, Cynthia Franklin, said the board 
reviewed the initiative to see if any other area absolutely needed to 
be addressed to avoid confusion or chaos as the law takes effect. She 
said that issue stood out.

The board will decide if that constitutes an emergency for writing a 
rule that would be in effect for 120 days, she said. If it decides 
that, she said, she expects the board will look at the definition for 
public that's already included in state law for criminal offenses.

Under the initiative, the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board is in 
charge of writing regulations for the industry unless the Legislature 
creates a new board. Franklin said the alcohol board doesn't have the 
technical authority to make rules related to marijuana until Feb. 24.

Lawmakers have been working on legislation to update state laws in 
line with the initiative, but Senate Majority Leader John Coghill, 
R-North Pole, said he didn't see a bill passing both houses by Feb. 
24. A rewrite of a bill is expected this week in the Senate Judiciary 
Committee, he said Monday during the Senate majority's weekly news conference.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom